August 3, 1950 Tsunami: El Tocuyo, Venezuela
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake began at El Tocuyo, Venezuela on August 3, 1950 at 22:18:22 UTC. Its effects were recorded at 1 place. It killed 100 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- August 3, 1950, 22:18:22 UTC
- Source
- El Tocuyo, Venezuela
- Cause
- Earthquake
- Earthquake
- Magnitude 6.4, 15 km deep
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
- Source location
- 9.710° N, 69.819° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 100 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
- Houses damaged
- Few (about 1 to 50) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Singer et al. (Reference #410) notes waves reported at Puerto Cabello, linking this to an uncertain earthquake event. There was much seismic activity on this day.
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Cabello | Venezuela | 214 | Eyewitness observation of water height |
More
Every tsunami in 1950The 1900sTsunamis of VenezuelaThe earthquakeThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI tsunami event 1805.